Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-04-10
WASH[NGTONS 0CIALLIFE
MRS. FAIItCHiLD WELCOMED
,roTHE CABINET CIRCLE.

rrOTHE CABINET CIRCLE.
socletv Graphing win narrowing
Ouestion of htiqu ette-eh%ilthe wives
of officials Take the TITLES OF 4heir
st.nds?-If We Say Mrs. President
and Mrs. Secretary why MOI A'so
NJ. Doorkeerper aud MRS. Clerk
Other Gossip
Tho wife of the new Secretary
~ the Treasury. Mrs. Fairchild,
avs the New York sun, is
~ voll and favorsbly known In
wosbington as to need no formal intro
d,ction TO society asa member of the
Cabinst circle. she is woman OF rare
rofnement and grace of manner, and is
an acquisition to the number OF agreea-
HE women who, with their husbands,
mako the Presidents official family.
Mrs. Fairchild Is perhaps OF more re-
carved manners than Mrs. Manning, but
abe Is also like that very popular woman.
II need hardly be said that Mrs. Fairchild
will be more warmly welcomed than any
stranger. and that, from social point of
vio1r the appointment of Mr.. Falrchild
10 very satisfactory, whatever it may be
,bouoht politically. Mrs. Fairchild Is
niece Of the late Horatio Seymour. She
has heen in mourning during her resi-
dence in Washington, and for this reason
hos been less in official circles until the
mast season, when many people had the
Measure of inviting her more frequently.
She received congratulations aud flowers
Yesterday in great numbers. A mound OF
roses was sent in early in the day. Later
came bunch of daffOdilis, then basket
of carnation lilies, great yellow pausles,
onG white aZaleas. Mrs. FaIrchild re-
ceiyed in a tailor-made dress OF green
cloth. with panel OF green orocade, and
vest and cuffs OF white satin and knot
of pansies at her belt. Her mother, the
sister OF the late Gov. Seymour, is With
her daug hter, and enjoying good and
cheerful spirits. Mrs. Falrchild will hold
nOreceptiOn next week, out Will proaDly
see friends after Easter.
The leisure thrown upon the hands OF
official society in Lent affords ample
time ana opportunity for the discussion
of many points OF etiquette that in the
whirl of the seasons gayety are quite
lost sight of. Nice little trifies are now
talked over with solemn earnestness
that gave them an absolutely ludiorous
side. But whether all the talking will
adjust and settle them to the satisfaction
OF those most interested is the really i'm
pOrtant feature. After all, ''Shall the
wives OF officials take the official titles of
their husbauds?" is one of the most har-
rowing questions with which society is
now graphing. Custom OF late has
made the acceptance OF Mrs. Secretary,
Mrs. Senator, Mrs. Judge, and Mrs.
Representative almost rule. To speak
of q Cabinet officers wife as Mrs. Secre-
tary, Mrs. Postmaster General, Mrs, At
tOrney General is az universal as TO name
them in the same manner in the newspa-
pers. The exception is limited to so few
writers as to be quite unObserved. Bat
there are a very few writers WHO have
from first to last stood out against this
fashion, that Is both incorrect and lnele-
giant. OF course 1t is in Washington
where one constantly hears the official
titles and where the fault is most glar-
ing, because incessant and prominent.
To enumerate In regular order, there are
Mrs. President, Mrs. Justice. Mrs. Sena-
tor, Mrs. Secretary, and Mrs. Representa-
tive in one official scale; then Mrs. Gene
raj, Mrs. Major, Mrs. Captain, and Mrs.
Lieutenant III the army, and Mrs. Adj
miral, Mrs. Commodore, Mrs. Engineer
and so on in the navy. with equal pro-
priety and taste one can name Mrs. AS
sistaut in various grades, Mrs. Chief OF
Bureau, Mrs. Chief of Division, Mrs.
Chief Clerk, Mrs. Executive Clerk, Mrs.
DOorkeeper, Mrs. Messenger, and SO on.
The beginning is at the White House
with the Presidents wife, and the end is
only reached through the almost innu-
merable grades, where the stop comes at
the humblest office under the govern
ment. Every man drawing a govern
ment salary is designated by name or
title Indicating his calling, or in some
manner associated with his labOrs. and
the handle thus given to his name is now
also given to bis wife. The fashion has
not yet included Mrs. Fireman, Mrs.
Waterman, Mrs. Policeman, but there is
tue same reason why the wives OF these
men should be thus named as exists Tor
naming the Presidents wife and a
Judges wife Mrs. President and Mrs. JUS
tlce.
At an afternoon reception not long ago
the hostess, who is a young matron, had
number OF friends to assist her III re-
celYing. She 10 the wife OF Congress-
man, and her assistants were wives Of
Congressman ana wives OF army
AID navy officers. There were in
all nearly u dozen women, and they,
through their husbands, represented the
three official classes. The young hostess
was, perhaps, over Jealous In her desire
70 promote the ease and social enjoyment,
ana ON the announcement OF eacn visitor
VINO made the whole round OF introduce
was quite appalling to all concerned. 1t
was IN effect; Mrs. Senator A, allow
me 10 present Mrs. Justice b, Mrs.
representative &c, Mrs. General ID, Mrs.
Commodore Z, and Mrs. Assistant Sec
rotary +, Mrs. Paymaster g." and she
continued right on until tue whole row OF
aus Were named, each win the official
ute OF her husband. AS the afternoon
wore away, the repetition OF the titles
Increased with the number OF visitors,
ana the sound OF their names prefxed by
Ihe titles became quite awful, and
caused several OF the assistants to feel
Solu chllls Of nervous dread whenever Il
VISITOR appeared. Finally one OF them
coulu endure 1t no longer, and she gasped
~AnOIher in painful whisper:
OoOd heayensl II Mrs. only
wouldn't Introduce every body, and 1t
uoes seem as II she fairly shouted our
names. She Is so terribly distinct, too.
why, Senators, Representatives, Gene
,"is ana Judges are chasing one after an
W1er wildly through my brain. / never
.uly realized before how perfectly alb
sutd IL Is TO be called Mrs. Representa-.
we nut alter hearing II hundred times
more III an hour see now positively
awlulitis."
Ierhaps all the women In Washington
"oalo nave SAID the same thing II they
uau taken time to say anything al all on
T'e suDJect; but there was no time until